Loop-lock slider

ABSTRACT

A CLAMP FOR DETACHABLY SECURING WASHCLOTHS OR TOWELS TO A WALL WHICH INCLUDES A WIRE LOOP MEMBER ELONGATED TO PROVIDE TWO OPPOSED STRAIGHT LEG PORTIONS AND A SLIDER CONSISTING OF TWO ARCUATE WIRE PORTIONS LOCATED ONE ON EACH OF OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE LOOP AND TERMINATING AT THE ENDS IN A PORTION WHICH SLIDABLY EMBRACES THE STRAIGHT LEG PORTION OF THE LOOP.

Feb. 23, 1971 c. A. NIKASON 5 5 LOOP-LOCK SLIDER Filed May 27, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 CHARLES A. NICKASON INVENTOR Feb. 23, 1971 c. A. NICKASON 5 5 LOOP-LOCK SLIDER Filed May 27, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CHARLES A. NICKASON INVENTOR AGENTS Urted States Patent 3,564,675 LOOP-LOCK SLIDER Charles A. Nickason, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, assignor to Towel-Kling Holdings Ltd., Vancouver,

British Columbia, Canada, a Corporation of Canada Filed May 27, 1968, Ser. No. 732,2S Int. CI. A44b 21/00 U.S. Cl. 24-263 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A clamp for detachably securing washcloths or towels to a wall which includes a wire loop member elongated to provide two opposed straight leg portions and a slider consisting of two arcuate wire portions located one on each of opposite sides of the loop and terminating at the ends in a portion which slidably embraces the straight leg portion of the loop.

This invention relates to a clamp and more particularly, to an improved clamp for use in detachably securing towels, washcloths, or the like to a wall or the like support.

Disclosed in applicant's Canadian Pat. No. 673,402 issued Nov. 5, 1963, is a to'wel clamp consisting of a closed wire-like loop having a slider movable therealong, such slider consisting of a pair of arcuate bars interconnected adjacent each of the opposed ends. Disclosed in the above patent are various means for limiting movement of the slider relative to the loop so as to retain the slider on the loop. As disclosed in the patent, this is accomplished by variously shaping the loop to provide abutments engageable with the slider at various selected positions. In the patented device, the slider is arcuate and cooperates with an arcuate end portion of the loop to perform a clamping action on a flexible article. Preferably the slider and loop arcuate portions are substantially the same size, and since the loop is formed from a resilient piece of material such as wire, plastic or the like, the application of suflicient force could result in removing the slider from the loop.

The object of the present invention is to provide a positive connection between the slider and the loop while, at the same time permitting sliding movement of the slider relative to the loop. Accordingly, the present invention concerns providing portions on the slider to embrace respective ones of a pair of legs of the loop and thereby positively retain the slider on the loop.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided in a clamping device consisting of a first generally U-shaped member having a pair of legs interconnected by an arcuate portion adjacent one end thereon and a second member slidably mounted on the first member for relative movement with respect thereto and including a pair of bars located respectively one on each side of said first member, the improvement comprising means nterconnecting the pair of bars at each of the opposite ends thereof and embracing respective ones of the legs of the first member selectively to retain the slider thereon and permit relative movement of said members with respect to one another.

In a more restricted aspect of the. present invention, there is provided a slider for a clamp of the foregoing type wherein the slider consists of a pair of arcuate bars disposed in respective ones of a pair of spaced, substantially parallel planes and interconnected adjacent each of the opposed ends, said bars further including abutment means'at each of the opposed ends engageable with the loop at a pair of positions spaced longitudinally along the length of the loop legs and respectively on opposite "ice sides thereof, said abutments being disposed in substantially a common plane.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. l is an elevational view of a clamp consisting of a closed loop and a slider with the latter in a position to facilitate inserting a flexible material to be grasped by the clamp;

FIG. 2 is a partial elevational View illustrating a flexble article engaged by the loop and slider, 'with the slider in paritial clamping position;

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a clamp as illustrated in FIG. 1 with a flexible piece of material engaged by the slider and the loop;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial oblique view of a slider constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial vertical elevational view taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a modified slider; and

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is illustrated in FIG. 1, a clamp for use in holding flexible material such as washcloths, towels, or the like. The clamp consists of a loop member 20 having a slider 40 relatively movable with respect thereto for clamping a fiexible article in a manner to be described. The closed loop 20 consists of a generally U-shaped member 21 having a pair of spaced parallel legs 22 and 23 interconnected adjacent one end by an arcuate portion 24. The arcuate portion 24 is preferably a segment of a circle having an outer diameter slightly greater than the corresponding outermost distance across the legs 22 and 23. The purpose of this will become more apparent hereinafter and is also more fully described in the aforementioned Canadian Pat. No. 673,402. The opposite ends of the legs 22 and 23 preferably terminate in oppositely directed respective hooked end portions 25 and 26 engageable with a clamp anchoring member 60.

The slider 40 consists of a pair of arcuate bar members 41 and 42 which, in accordance 'with the present invention, are interconnected at opposite ends respectively, by portions 43 and 44 adapted to embrace respective ones of the legs 22 and 23 of the closed loop 20. The arcuate bars 41 and 42 are disposed, respectively, one on each side of opposed sides of the loop and are disposed in a pair of spaced substantially parallel planes. The arcuate bars 41 and 42 correspond in shape to the arcuate end portion 24 and preferably they are the segment of a circle having substantially the same radius as the portion 24.

The end portions 43 and 44, connecting the arcuate bars 41 and 42, completely embrace respective ones of the legs 22 and 23 and thereby differ from the aforementioned patented structure. Each of the opposite ends of the arcuate bars may be variously connected.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the slider 40 is formed from a single length of wire appropriately bent to provide arcuate bar portions 41 and 42 interconnected at opposed ends by portions 43 and 44 embracing respective legs 22 and 23. The arcuate bars 41 and 42 are located, one on each side of the arcuate end portion 24 of the loop 20. The portions 43 and 44 each consist of oppositely directed end portions 45 and 46 projectng from respective bars 41 and 42 through the central portion of the loop 20. The portions 45 and 46 may be parallel to one another and arranged in a criss-cross fashion as illustrated in FIG. 5.

Extending from the terminal end of respective end portions 45 and 46 are respective arcuate portions 47 and 48 which project outwardly from the inner portion of the loop 20 to the outside thereof and they are interconnected exteriorly of the loop 20 by a connecting end portion 49. -It is thus seen that each leg portion 22 and 23 is completely embraced by respectively opposed ends of the slider 40. In the preferred embodiment, the connecting end portion 49 is located vertically below the point at which portions 45 and 46 cross one another on the inside of the loop 20. The purpose for this is that in the preferred form, the arcuate end 24 of the loop 20 is enlarged extending laterally beyond the respective;

legs 22 and 23 at opposite sides of the loop 20 providing a shoulder 27 (see FIG. l). This shoulder 27 on the outside of the loop 20 engages the .connecting end portion 49 of the slider 40 to limit movement of the slider relative to the loop 20 in a down'ward direction as viewed in FIGS. 1 to 4. The crossed portions 45 and 46 are located on the inside of the loop '20 and, upon engagement of the connecting end portion 49 at one end of the slider with the shoulder 27 on the loop 20, there is a tendency for the slider to pivot about this point of contact and such pivotal movement is prevented by a butment of either the end portions 45 or 46, or both as the case may be, with the leg 22, 23 of the loop 20 adjacent the opposite end of the slider. The abutment, at such opposite end, includes engagement of one or both of the crossed portions 45 and 46 *with the loop leg 22, 23 and/or engagement of the connecting end portion 49 with the loop 20. An important feature of the slider, illustrated in FIG. 4, is the position of the crossed slider ends at 45 and 46 in relation to the adjacent outer end of the slider at 49. In FIG. 5, lnes A, B and C represent respectively the relative vertical positions of the position at which either the loop portion 45 and 46 engages the inner portion of the loop respective legs 22, 23; the beginning of the shoulder 27 and the position the connecting end portion 49 engages the outer portion of the loop 20.

When one attempts to force the slider downwardly as viewed in FIG. 4, equal and opposite forces are applied to each of the legs 22 and 23 adjacent the shoulder 27 respectively by opposed ends of the slider. The application of such a force has a tendency to straighten the wire and thereby eliminate the shoulder '27 but in order to accomplish this, substantial force would be required in view of the fact that the point of contact of the connecting end portion 49 outside of the loop 20 and the other portion 45 or 46 on the inside of the loop 20 is closely adjacent the shoulder 27 thereby providing a very small level' arm. The downward pull on the slider causes the slider at connecting end portion 49 (FIG. 4) to travel outwardly as well as downwardly which, in turn, pulls the crossed ends of the slider at 45 and 46 against the loop legs 22 and 23 at the same time and since the slider bar ends cannot go out and down at the same time, they must stop at the position illustrated in F-IG. 4. The looped end of the slider bars at connecting portion 49 (FIG. 4) preferably extends at a sharp angle to the portion of the loop it engages so that when downward pressure is applied, it Will not be readily deflected bythe arcuate loop 20.

As previously described in the aforementioned Canadian Pat. No. 673,402, clamping is efiected by movement of the arcuate bars 41 and 42 in a direction toward one another upon the application of a force to -a cloth 50 When threaded therethrough in a manner as illustrated in FIG. 3. Application of a force to the free end of the exible member or cloth 50 forces the 'bars 41 and 42 toward one another clampingly to engage the opposite end of the material between the respective bars and the arcuate portion of the loop located therebetween.

In the embodiment illustrated in -FIGS, 4 and 5, the opposed ends of the arcuate bars 41 and 42' are interconne'cted :by respective terminal end portions appropriately bent to facilitate movement of the portions of the bars 41 and 42 intermediate the ends thereof in a direction toward and away from one another.

Alternatively, if desired, opposed ends of the arcuate bars 41 and 42 may be rigidly connected as, for example,

!by a plate apertured to receive respective ones of the loop legs 22 and 23. S uch an embodiment is illustrated in FIG'S. 6 and 7 -wherein the arcuate bars 41 and 42 are interconnected adjacent opposed ends respectively by plate mernbers 65 and 66. The plates 65 and 66 are apertured, respectively as at 67 and 68 to receive respective ones of the legs 22 :and '23 of the loop 20.

From the foregoing, it is seen there is provided an improved slider for a clamp wherein such slider includes opposed ends, each of which are adapted to embrace a substantially straight portion of a loop and slide therealong.

Movement of the arcuate arms 41 'and 42 toward and away from one another results in bending stresses at each of opposed ends of the arcuate members. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the bending stress is distributed over a substantial area by virtue of the end portions 45, 46, the arcuate portions 47, 48, and the connecting end portion 49. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the bending stress is confined to a limited area and may be a bsorbed entirely by the terminal end portions of the respective arcuate bars 41 and 42 or alternatively, a portion or all of the stress may be absorbed by the connecting bars 65 and 66. The bars, accordingly, in the latter event may be spring steel or the like springy or resilient material. The connecting bars may be welded to the arcuate bars 41 and 42 or alternatively, the bars 65 and 66 may be apertured to receive an end portion of the respective bars 41 and 42 and such end portion may be riveted or otherwise anchored to the respective bars 65 and 66.

The ar-cuate bars 41 and 42 and/or the connectng end portions 43 and 44 are made of a springy, fiexible material such as spring steel, plastic or the like.

Iclaim:

1. In a clamping device which includes a substantially U-shaped first member adapted to be Secured at one end thereof to a retaining means and 'a second member slidably mounted on the first member for relative movement with respect thereto and each of said first and second members including arcuate portions adapted to cooperate `and grasp a flexible article therebetween, said second member including a pair of spaced arcuate bars, the improvement comprising means interconnecting said pair of bars, adjacent each of the opposed ends thereof, and completely encircling respective ones of the leg portions of the first member for sliding movement therealong.

2. The improvement as defined in claim 1, wherein said second member is formed of a single length rod of springy, fiexi-ble material.

3. The improvement as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the opposite ends of the slider includes means engageable with the slider, respectively, at a -pair of positions spa-ced longitudinally therealong in a direction of sliding movement of the slider on the first member.

4. A slider for a clamping device comprising in combination:

(a) a pair of similarly shaped arcuate bars disposed in respective ones of a pair of planes disposed in spaced relation with respect to one another, and being of similar orientation;

(b) means connecting said bars together adjacent one end thereof and similar means connecting said bars together adjacent the opposite ends thereof, each of said means including a member extending in a direction angularly disposed with respect to such of said pair of planes; and

(c) means associated with -each of said angularly disposed member portions which together completely surround slidably to embrace an elongated object.

5. A slider as defined in claim 4 wherein at least one of said arcuate bars or means connecting said bars is of a fiexible, resilient material.

6. A slider as defined in claim 5 wherein said material is spring steel.

7. A Slider as defined in claim 4 Wherein each of said arcuate bars and means interconnecting the same consists of fieXible, resilient material.

8. A slider as dened in claim 7 wherein said material is spring steel.

9. A slider as defined in claim 7 wherein the material in each of the arcuate bars and means interconnecting the arcuate bars is the same.

10. A slider as defined in claim 9 where said material is spring steel.

11. A clamping device comprisng in combination:

(a) a substantially U-shaped first member adapted to be secured to a rigid support by means associated witfh the free ends of leg portions thereof; and

(b) a second member slidably mounted on said first member for movement relative thereto longitudinally along the leg portions thereof, said second member comprising:

(i) a pair of arcuate bars disposed respectively on each of opposite sides of said first member and in respective ones of a pair of substantially parallel planes; and

(ii) means interconnecting said arcuate bars at each of opposed ends thereof, said means including portions completely surrounding respective ones of the legs of said U-shaped member. 12. A clamp as defined in claim 1-1 Wherein said first member consists of a closed loop and Wherein said Slider includes a pair of abutments adjacent each of the opposed ends thereof engageable With respective ones of the legs of said loop, said abutments being disposed in a common plane substantially perpendicular to the planes of the arcuate bars and at a position therebetween.

13. A clamping device comprising in combination: (a) a substantially U-shaped first member having a pair of substantially parallel leg portions interconnected by an arcuate portion all disposed in the same plane, said arcuate portion being of greater lateral extent in said plane than the overall dimension of said pair of legs thereby providing an outwardly directed shoulder at the junction of the respective legs With the arcuate portion.

(b) means adapted to secure said first member to a rigid support by means associated With the free ends of the leg portions thereof; and

(c) a second member slidably mounted on said first member for movement relative thereto longitudinally along the leg portions thereof in said plane, said second member comprising:

(i) a pair of arcuate bars disposed respectively on each of opposite sides of said first member and in respective ones of a pair of substantially parallel planes; and

(ii) means interconnecting said arcuate bars at each of opposed ends thereof, said means including portions completely surrounding respective ones of the legs of said U-shaped member and having an oppositely disposed pair of portions in said plane located one on each side of the leg and offset with respect to one another in a direction parallel to said slidng movement simultaneously to engage respectively the leg and shoulder associated therewith.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l,144,832 6/1915 Ford 24-263HES 1,208,080 12/1916 Bell 24--13-9 2,828,865 4/1958 Vidach 24-263FCX 3,160,937 12/ 1964 Nickason 24-263HES DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner 

